Who Are you Hanging Out With?

Bernie or Bust: Establishment, consider this our Dear John letter

Clinton has hijacked Bernie’s message (minus, of course, the sincerity); she and the mainstream media outlets are trying to make Bernie disappear; Clinton’s already vaulting forward as the presumed Democratic candidate, without a backward glance at what might be nipping at her heels. The Establishment is perfectly content to pretend Bernie doesn’t exist. Sure, media hacks say, Bernie supporters are loyal, but in the end they’ll fall in line. Come on, they say, it’s time to play Clinton’s ball game, or you’re guaranteed a Trump presidency. Democrats will fold, eventually, they presume, abandon Bernie and vote Clinton. We’re privileged and petulant, spoiled and sore losers. It’s the entitled millennials, they say. They actually think they’re going to insult and mock us into lockstep.

But in that equation, they’ve left out one critical thing: Bernie Sanders supporters – and, in particular, Bernie or Bust. We have become a major thorn in their side, and we plan to remain a major thorn in their side, cog in their wheel, burr under their saddle, for as long as it takes. Their whole concept is wholly misguided. Establishment pundits and the entire media ruling class has been beating the drum that Bernie Sanders has been a true victor in that he’s veered Clinton left, that we should be so proud to have been part of a movement that was so, well, fleetingly revolutionary. Well, the Bernie Sanders movement isn’t a support group, and we’re not life coaches, and frankly, we couldn’t care less what direction Clinton veers. We’re supporting Bernie Sanders because he’s the only guy we want as president, and we ain’t settling for less. We’re taking it to the convention, and Hillary Clinton will not get our vote.

Thing is, unless Bernie Sanders is the nominee, we’re already pretty much guaranteed a Trump presidency anyway. Clinton won’t be able to dodge Trump’s adroit below-the-belt messaging; she’s not quick enough, she’s too much of a mental plodder, and she’s far too elitist to engage with Trump on that level. Well, as a former attorney friend once said, when the other side takes it to the sewer, the only thing to do is grab a snorkel and jump. Clinton’s comfortable in Martha’s Vinyard, not slugging it out with a seasoned street brawler. Her haughty demeanor will crack under the Trump onslaught. She’ll look foolish, feel foolish, and her game will crack. Bernie, on the other hand, doesn’t have her baggage; he already admits to being a Democratic socialist, he has very little, if any, toxic background material, and he’s such a courtly gentleman that Trump’s attacks will appear petty and vengeful, and will ultimately be completely ineffective.

The Establishment is starting to get scared, and they’re calling out their progressive dogs to sternly lecture Bernie or Bust’ers with horror stories of what can happen when the strays and orphans don’t fall in line. Well, we’ve seen the horror story, and it’s what the establishment is presenting us with today.

. . . Never before in American history has there been a political revolution like the one being led by Senator Sanders, and never before has there been a grassroots movement like the one being organized by Revolt Against Plutocracy. If it should work to help bring back Sanders’ candidacy, which pundits have been writing off from the beginning, the Democrats will have a good chance of winning in November. Every poll indicates Sanders does better in match-ups against Trump, Cruz and Kasich, so Democrats voting for Secretary Clinton are gambling on an untrustworthy candidate who’s extremely unpopular with much of the Democratic Party base. The only Democrat with integrity, who’s left standing, is a much better bet for November.

On Real Time with Bill Maher Friday night, the host mocked Revolt Against Plutocracy’s Bernie or bust movement. In the video above, he speaks about it for 20 seconds starting at the one minute point in the clip.

The Establishment is demonstrating every day, as they mock those who will continue to support Bernie Sanders, why we’ve flown the coop. Establishment Democrats can consider this, our movement, our moment of determination, as the ultimate Dear John letter.